For some years now, Niedersachsen Ports (NPorts) has been pushing the sustainable development of the port of Cuxhaven forward. These projects have now been summarized in the company’s first sustainability report. The report provides numbers, facts and stories which make it clear how future-oriented port management can work in practice. It is part of the sustainability initiative run by the port operator which is called “hafen+”.

“In the report, experts can find relevant information – but it also will be of interest to all who wish to seek out news and exchange ideas regarding our ports. This way, we’re deepening the dialogue with our stakeholders,” said Holger Banik, managing director of Niedersachsen Ports GmbH & Co. KG. This is also how questions regarding sustainable port lighting, environmentally friendly dredging and new energy sources like hydrogen fuel cells are explored.

NPorts works closely with various development partners to promote new technologies and develop economical and resource-saving solutions for port operations. “I’ve had the experience that the port sector across Europe stands before the same challenges. This triggers a big motivation to do something together,” said Matthäus Wuczkowski, sustainability manager at NPorts.The current projects include “WASh2Emden” and “dashPORT”. The first project comprises possible applications of hydrogen fuel cells in the port environment. The second involves developing a digital control room to analyze and steer energy supplies.

More information regarding the sustainability report and its projects can be found here.

Structuring the future competitiveness of ports also means meeting the challenges of port businesses, politics and partners as they are formulated vis-a-vis Niedersachsen Ports. Berths, accessways, locks, rail networks and roads in the ports must be ready for 24/7 operations; the processes must be efficient and transparent. For this, starting for the first time in July 2019, NPorts will be certified by TÜV SÜD pursuant to DIN ISO 9001:2015. This shows that the system which the infrastructure company has used to ensure its performance quality complies with the leading international standard for quality management systems. Pursuant to international requirements, the maintenance of community certificates will be carried out annually via external oversight audits in the Oldenburg headquarters as well as at varying locations.